Pathways Report: Big wins to start the season

Pathways competitions kicked off over the weekend with three opening wins earned for our junior teams.

The Junior Reps sides (SG Ball, Tarsha Gale Cup, Harold Matthews) and Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership team travelled down to Sydney to play the North Sydney Bears last Saturday at Hills Grammar.

See how each team fared:

NSW Women's Premiership - Knights 20-30 Bears

A second-half fightback from our NSW Women's Premiership side just fell short as the team went down by 10 points to the North Sydney Bears on Saturday afternoon.

After a tough early battle in the middle in hot conditions at Hills Grammar, Kenthurst, the Bears would strike first on the 15th minute mark through Rikeya Horne before scoring another three tries before the half-time whistle.

The home outfit took a 20-nil lead into the change of ends.

Bears winger, Jakiya Whitfeld scored a long-range try to extend North Sydney's lead to 24 five minutes into the second half.

Knights halfback Sophie Clancy produced the red and blue's first of the afternoon before NRLW premiership winner, Tiana Davison, powered her way to the line five minutes later.

North Sydney responded with their fifth try on the 58th minute mark to push out to an 18-point margin.

In the dying stages, Tylah Vallance scored in the corner with four minutes to play while Jordan Glanville made her way over the line on the final play of the game.

However, the Knights would just fall short of a comeback going down six tries to four.

The side will look to earn their first points of the season when they travel to play the Wentworthville Magpies at NSWRL Centre of Excellence next Monday night.

SG Ball Cup (Men's Under 19's) - Knights 62-12 Bears

The SG Ball side have started their season in red-hot form with a 50-point victory over the North Sydney Bears.

Fullback Fletcher Sharpe scored a hat-trick including a runaway 80 metre effort in the first half while winger Ethan Ferguson notched 26 points with two tries and nine conversions.

The team were fast out of the blocks racing to a 26-6 half-time lead.

Picking up where they left off in the first, the SG Ball side would combine another 36 points in the second half to claim a dominant opening round victory.

The side will face an early test coming up against last year's Under 19's Grand Final winners in the Penrith Panthers this Saturday at Windsor Sports Complex.

Tarsha Gale Cup (Women's Under 19's) - Knights 20-14 Bears

The Tarsha Gale Cup team have opened their season with a six-point win over the North Sydney Bears.

After an energetic start to the new season, the Knights went into the break ahead 10-6 courtesy of tries to Lilly McNamara and Ava Osland.

Centre, Ava Osland scored her second after the break running around to improve the position and put Newcastle in front by 10.

Soon after, five-eighth Evie Jones, produced a brilliant run from inside her own half to score the Knights fourth of the afternoon.

North Sydney notched two quick tries shortly after to reduce the deficit, but the Knights would hold on to secure an opening round win.

The side will play the Penrith Panthers next round at Windsor Sports Complex this Saturday.

Harold Matthews Cup (Men's Under 17's) - Knights 42-4 Bears

In another big victory for our pathways teams, the Harold Matthews Cup side scored a convincing 38-point win over the Bears.

Fullback, Connor Votano opened the scoring for the red and blue eight minutes into the contest before Diesel Hagan, Zahn McKay, Callan Winter and Mark Nikas all bagged tries in the first half.

The Bears scored one of their own as the Knights took a 26-4 lead into the sheds.

Shortly after the break, TJ Talaileva barged his way over to continue the Knights scoring while Winter would earn himself another two tries to claim a hat-trick.

Having scored eight tries to one, the red and blue would take the two points back up the M1.

The Harold Matthews side will also face Penrith next round kicking off at 12:30pm at Windsor Sports Complex.